The Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement has announced plans to host a major two-day meeting of experts in Abuja to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation and reimagining the future of West African integration.
In a statement made available on Wednesday, the institute said the event, themed “Reimagining West Africa Regional Cooperation and Integration: Alternative Futures,” will take place on October 31 and November 1, 2025, at the Main Auditorium of the ECOWAS Commission, located on Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja.
The meeting, organised in collaboration with the African Leadership Centre, the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), and WATHI, will bring together top policymakers, scholars, and civil society leaders to review the progress, setbacks, and future direction of ECOWAS as it marks five decades since its establishment in 1975.
According to the organisers, the conference will explore the “paradox of regional integration” in Africa — a situation they described as a “tale of two worlds: the ambitions of states and the lived realities of people.”
They noted that while governments across West Africa often set bold agendas for economic and political integration, citizens have continued to build informal connections across borders through trade, migration, and culture — creating a gap between official policies and grassroots realities.
The Amandla Institute said this year’s event will also feature the second edition of The African Public Square (APS) — an interactive platform for policy debate and dialogue — following its successful debut in London in 2023, where discussions centred on Africa’s global agency and leadership in an evolving world order.
The 2025 APS session, the statement added, will convene experts in international development, economics, diplomacy, and public policy to examine ECOWAS’ 50-year journey, highlighting its achievements, ongoing challenges, and opportunities for reform.
A major topic for debate will be the recent withdrawal of three ECOWAS member states effective January 2025, an issue that has stirred intense discussion about the bloc’s unity and credibility. Organisers said the dialogue aims to inspire fresh thinking and chart a more resilient, people-centred roadmap for regional cooperation in the years ahead.
The statement further recognised that ECOWAS has achieved notable milestones, including the introduction of the ECOWAS Passport, the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services, and regional peacekeeping interventions that have promoted stability and economic collaboration across member states.
However, it acknowledged that insecurity, political instability, economic inequality, and weak institutional implementation continue to hinder the full realisation of the ECOWAS vision. Delays in adopting a common regional currency and shifting geopolitical dynamics within and outside Africa have also compounded the challenges.
The organisers explained that ECOWAS Vision 2050, adopted in recent years, sets a bold agenda to transition from “an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of Peoples.” To achieve this transformation, they stressed, member nations must demonstrate renewed political will, invest in inclusive governance, and bridge the gap between policy institutions and the people they represent.
“As the region celebrates this golden jubilee, the African Public Square provides a timely opportunity for reflection, dialogue, and commitment,” the statement said. “It is time to ensure that regional integration is not just a policy ambition but a lived reality for every West African.”
The organisers said the Abuja meeting would feature panel discussions, case study presentations, and open forums where participants will share experiences on cross-border trade, migration, peacebuilding, and youth engagement in regional development. They added that the event would also produce a policy communiqué to guide ECOWAS institutions and member states in advancing integration efforts over the next decade.
Stakeholders are expected to include representatives of ECOWAS institutions, the African Union Commission, development partners, academia, and civil society organisations across West Africa. The deliberations are expected to contribute to shaping a shared vision for a stronger, more inclusive, and people-driven regional bloc.
